


Fitting In With The Freaks

by Rockabillymama



Category: American Horror Story: Freak Show
Genre: Animal Death, Drama & Romance, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Sex, Eventual Smut, F/M, Family Drama, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-16
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2018-05-21 01:33:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6033232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rockabillymama/pseuds/Rockabillymama
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ashlyn has struggled her whole life to find acceptance for who she is. To her surprise, she finds an odd sense of peace with a band of freaks. Will this be the family she has been looking for, or another bitter disappointment waiting to overwhelm her?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One - Today Is The Day

**Chapter One - Today Is The Day**

The sound of the clock ticking with every passing, wasted second was putting Ashlyn McKeown to sleep. She sat at her desk, looking at the worn notepad in front of her with a checklist that consisted of watering the plants, making coffee, and waiting to go home.

 _"How did I end up here?"_ she thought to herself, slumping in her chair.

She knew exactly how she had ended up here, and what made it worse was that it had taken a long time of blood, sweat and tears to do it. Ashlyn was a lawyer. Well, technically she had a law degree, which she had worked extremely hard for. Like it was in most fields, being a lawyer was to be a mans job and was no place for a woman. When she had landed this job after years of struggling, she had been so happy. Finally, she had made it. Yet here she sat, watching the seconds tick by as she did every day, waiting for her boss to throw her that bone he had promised.

She had been nineteen when she walked onto that campus, clutching her textbooks to her chest, a blue ribbon in her hair and wearing a matching blue sweetheart dress that had been carefully ironed. With straight glossy auburn that reached her shoulder blades, and creamy pale skin, she was the picture of innocence. She wasn't a tall woman, standing at just over 5'2", with curves in the right place that she kept purposely hidden underneath full skirts and cardigans.

People asked her if she was lost and tried to redirect her to the beauty school down the road. Some of the men made crude jokes about her being there as motivation to study. She did her best to ignore them, but understandably, there were many days in those four years that it would overwhelm her. Now, whenever she felt as if she would give up, she thought back to her first class at the very beginning of her journey.

The lecture hall had smelled of dust and damp, and the carpet was in desperate need of replacing. As she walked up the steps to find a inconspicuous seat at the back, she ignored the room full of eyes on her. She had placed her books on the battered desk in front of her and smoothed her dress down behind her as she took a seat with her eyes towards the front of the class.

The professor had obviously been made aware of her enrolment in his class as he did not seem surprised of her presence, but he had still watched her curiously as she made her way to her seat. Deciding that they were ready to begin their class, he cleared his throat and the room of eyes finally found their proper place at the front of the room.

The man was short, balding, and his outfit looked as though it had seen better days, she noticed, but what did she actually expect from this college? She had to pay for her tuition by working three jobs, so she had to settle with the cheapest school that would accept her application.

 _"Welcome to Criminology 101,"_ he said plainly, as though it were a part of a speech he had prepared. _"Before we begin, I want to see how much of you have read the recommended reading before you came here,"_ he said with a smirk, as the male dominated room scurried to open their books for a last second cram, in vain of course.

 _"Who can tell me,"_ he said, reading from a page on his desk, after noticing that Ashlyn had been the only one who had not moved to open her books, _"who developed the theory of differential association?"_

The frantic flurry of students trying to flick through their books to find the answer was complemented by Ashlyn's steady hand, which was raised immediately.

 _"Yes, Miss...McKeown, I assume?"_ Professor Hartby said, with a raised eyebrow. _"Edwin Sutherland,"_ she said with a nervous smile. The room turned, their mouths agape. Not a single student said a word. _"Very good,"_ he nodded approvingly, before peering over his glasses at the page again.

 _"Wow, call the papers, she can read,"_ a blonde young man sniggered quietly from the centre of the room, which was follow by a low chuckle from his peers. Ashlyn ignored it, and stayed focused on the front of the room. Hartby ignored the comment, and instead of reading from the page, he sat on the edge of his desk with his arms folded, and took a second to consider his class.

 _"Since we know now that Miss McKeown has beaten you to the answer, perhaps I should give you another chance."_ he said, winking at Ashlyn. She tried her best not to smile, but couldn't help it. _"What does differential association predict?"_ he asked, his eyes scanning the room while waiting for a student to raise their hand. Yet again, they all had their noses in their books.

He waited a few moments before looking up towards Ashlyn. _"Miss McKeown, the answer is..."_ he raised his hands as she replied in a clear voice, _"Differential association predicts that an individual will choose the criminal path when the balance of definitions for law-breaking exceeds those for law-abiding."_ The blonde young man clapped his hands, and didn't bother with subtlety this time, _"Bravo Miss, Im sure you're very proud of your reading skills,"_ which was followed by another round of chuckles.

Ashlyn didn't even have a chance to bite her tongue before the words fell out of her mouth, _"I am. If you ask nicely, I may even consider teaching you how, since you apparently need the help."_ The room roared with laughter, the Professor included. The young man went bright red before slouching into his chair with a scowl. The Professor nodded to Ashlyn, as if to tell her she had done well. That day, she learned that she could do this. It would be hard, but she had what it takes.

Her parents weren't happy with her life choices. No, thats a nice way of saying it. Her mother had been so furious that she had spent hours screeching at her about how much of an embarrassment she was. Why couldn't she be like all the other girls her age. Why couldn't she find a nice man, get married and settle down? _"Im not like the other girls my age!"_ she would scream back. _"Why cant you just be happy for me?!"_ Her mother would clutch her heart dramatically, and look to her husband for support. _"Well?"_ she snapped, _"Tell her what a stupid girl she is being!"_ He shrugged his shoulders and looked helplessly from his wife, to his only daughter. _"Oh for goodness sake George,"_ his wife slammed her hand on the table. _"Well listen here young lady, as long as you live under my roof, you will live by my rules. That means no more of this law business!"_

Ashlyn was sick and tired of the fighting and finally made a decision. _"You're right,"_ she said to her mother, standing up and pushing in her chair. Her mother smiled smugly, thinking she had finally gotten through to her. _"Good girl, now be a dear and..."_ Ashlyn cut her off. _"While I'm under your roof I'll never get what I want out of life. Im leaving."_ With that, she had walked calmly to her room and began to pack, leaving her howling banshee of a mother behind her.

Before she knew it, she was on the doorstep, a little suitcase of everything she owned in this world, looking out into the darkness of their street. _"You will never get anywhere without the support of a man, Ashlyn, you hear me? You do this, do not bother coming back,"_ her mother hissed at her, keeping her voice down to avoid bringing attention to themselves from the neighbours. _"Goodbye mother,"_ she said simply, trying her best not to let her firm voice waiver. Her mother responded by slamming the door in her face. She sighed, and started walking down the little path to the street, the suitcase dragging behind her.

She heard the door open and someone followed. She turned back and saw her father, standing with an apologetic smile on his face. _"Goodbye buttercup,"_ he said softly, placing a thick envelope in her hand before kissing her on the cheek. _"Do me proud,"_ he whispered, before smiling sadly. She smiled back and on tippy toes, kissed him on the cheek. _"Bye Daddy."_ That was the last time she saw her parents. Two years later, she was told her father had passed away from a heartattack. She didn't attend his funeral.

She had refused to use the money her father had given her, she didn't want to prove her mother right. She didn't need a man to support her, she was fully capable of making her own way in the world. Today, she had a degree, a job, and an apartment (albeit an extremely small one). She paid her own bills with her own money and while she was nothing more than a receptionist who made coffee in this firm, she was employed in a legal office never the less. She just considered it another step in the right direction.

 _"Ashlyn, where's my damn coffee!"_ her boss barked from his office, more of a demand than a question. She sighed, and walked to the kitchen to make his coffee, making sure she did it exactly right or she would be sent back to do it again. Which happened often.

She walked into his office, and he was sitting in his brand new black leather office chair, hunched over the stacks of paper and files in front of him. He was in his late forties and his firm was the only one in town, This meant that they were doing pretty well because, well, there was no other option for their clients. His hair had started to grey, but you could still see that it once must have been black and glorious back in the day. He was still proud of it, acting as though he hadn't aged a day. The man spent a fortune on creams to try and look young, not that he would ever admit it. All the cream in the world wouldn't hide his growing beer belly, which was starting to strain the expensive suits he had been trying to stretch over it.

 _"Here you go, Mr Jackson,"_ she said as she placed the coffee cup in what seemed like the safest place, the only space that wasn't covered in paper work on his desk. She bit her lip, and added hopefully, _"Got a case for me?"_ Without looking up at her, he gestured to a file that sat on its own on top of the filing cabinet and replied dismissively, _"Yeah sure, why not, help yourself to that one. Im sure you will do great."_

She almost tripped over herself to grab the file, but straightened, not wanting not wanting to seem too over eager. _"This is it! My big break!"_ she thought to herself, barely able to contain her excitement as she clutched the file to her chest. She mumbled her thanks as she quickly made her way to her desk to pour over every detail in the file.

As she left, one of the hot shot lawyers, a well groomed pig by the name of Alan Pierce, knocked on Jackson's open door. _"What is she looking so pleased about,"_ he asked, flicking his cigarette ash into one of the many trays littered around the office. Jackson looked up and leaned back into his chair, shaking his head.

 _"I told her she could take a case"_ he said with a smirk, and Pierce matched his smirk with amusement. _"Its that Freak Show case. Once she sees who it is for, she will be back to her usual, dull self,"_ He pulled a hip flask from his bottom drawer, and took a swig, offering it to Pierce who took it gladly. _"As if I would give her a case,"_ he sniggered, completely oblivious to the fact that Ashlyn had already left the office with the file. _"Theres just as much chance of that happening as us actually taking the case for those freaks."_

 


	2. Chapter Two - Ashlyn finds her bite

Chapter Two

 

Ashlyn played with the hem of her skirt nervously as she looked at the scenery whip by. She had decided to take a cab to the field instead of her bicycle, to help maintain the appearance of being professional. The idea of trying to bike this far with her carefully pinned up hair and pressed green sundress wasnt so appealing anyway. The file remained inside of her brown leather satchel, which on second thought may be a bit more worn than she would have liked, but she would have to win a case before she could afford to replace it.

She had read over the Freak Show file at least five times the moment she had sat down at her desk. Her mind had been, until that point, starving, yearning for stimulation. It drank in the information that filled the file, even though there was only a handful of pages. She decided she had waited too long for this moment, and in her haste, had not even told Jackson that she was going out. She checked her watch and it was just before 9, so it was too early for her to be taking lunch. He had just given her the file, he would understand she had wanted to start on it immediately...right?

She felt like she had won the lottery with this job. It would be simple enough. A complaint had been made against the Freak Show performers, with an allegation that they did not meet the legal requirements to perform in America. It would involve a lot of paperwork, applications, interviews...As she made the mental checklist, she wore a dreamy smile on her face just thinking of all the work that lay ahead of her. The cab driver looked back in his rear view mirror at her, and for the tenth time, confirmed the address. _"Miss, thats where those freaks are, are you sure that is where...?"_ she shot him a look back in the mirror that dared him to finish what he was saying, and he quickly shut his mouth and nodded, keeping his eyes ahead of him. " _Right you are mam, not my business..."_ his thick english accent leaving no doubt of his country of origin.

They turned into a long drive and she saw the bright coloured tents which were occasionally neighboured by metal trailers. The closer they got, the more people accumulated at the front of the tents, curiousity getting the better of them. They didn't get visitors, not outside of their evening shows. Who was here at this hour?

The car eased to a stop and parked, and she gulped as she reached for the door. Could she do this. _"Pull yourself together Ashlyn,"_ she thought to herself, pulling her cardigan sleeves straighter over her arms, ensuring they were covered. _"You've come too far to turn back now,"_ she reminded herself. She opened her door, paid the older gentleman, who muttered a good luck before driving off and leaving her standing in the gravel, looking like a deer caught in headlights.

Ashlyn turned and was faced with the freaks in all their glory. Some were just curious, some were glaring accusingly, waiting for her judgement. There was a woman with no legs and one who towered over her. A man with malformed arms who was covered in tattoos, and to one side she was sure she had even seen a woman with three breasts! Seeing the suspicion on their faces made her think about the persecution these poor people must have endured in their life times. She made sure she smiled pleasantly and finally found her voice.

_"Hello! My name is Ashlyn McKeown and Im here from the..."_ she started before she was cut off by a beautiful older woman, who just glowed with authority walked up to her as the others in the group parted to allow her through _. "You are from the lawyers office, yes?"_ she asked, extending her hand. " _Yes! My name is Ashlyn, Im here to talk to you about your case,"_ she replied with a smile of relief, shaking the womans hand. Before she could withdraw, the woman covered it with her other hand and squeezed. _"My name is Elsa Mars, and you have no idea how glad we are to see you, my dear,"_ the german beauty said, her voice dripping with honey.

Ashlyn tried not to stare, but the people had come closer and one of them, an indian girl, no bigger than a two year old, was stroking the bottom of her dress, while another stared at her while muttering what sounded like bird sounds. _"Come child, we shall talk in my tent, we have much to discuss!"_  With that, Elsa took her by the hand, leaving the group behind. Ashlyn called out over her shoulder, _"It was lovely meeting you!"_ as she was dragged by Elsa into seclusion.

_"I liked her dress,"_ squeaked little Ma Petit as she was picked up by the long legged Amazon Eve. The group looked each other, not knowing how to react to someone normal saying it had been lovely to meet them, let alone not gasping or shying away in from their deformities. They all dispirsed, everyone going back to work. All but one. Jimmy Darling, better known as Lobster Boy, stood with his hands in his pockets, his head tilted as he watched the odd woman disappear.

_"Come,"_ Elsa motioned to Ashlyn to sit down in the chair opposite her. _"Sit! Make yourself at home."_ She thanked her and sat down, before pulling out her notebook and a pen, ready to start taking notes. _"Now, Miss Mars, I understand that you need help with the legal registration of your performers?"_ Ashlyn began to confirm, and Elsas eyes dropped to the ground. _"Elsa, please. Yes, we do, but I am afraid we will be unable to pay you that much, ticket sales have been slow. Unfortunately, not everyone appreciates my monsters like I do,"_ she said sadly. Afraid she was going to lose her first case, she quickly responded, _"Oh I'm sure Mr Jackson will take your situation into consideration and we can work something out."_  Elsa couldnt help but smile back, the girls bubbly personality was contagious.

Elsa considered the Ashlyn, her eyes scanning from the cream flower nestled into the pinned curls, to the low black heels she wore. She was pretty, so what on earth was she doing here? A girl like that could have the world. Elsa leaned back into her seat, picking up a cigarette tin from the table beside of her, and sliding one out. She lit it, and took a long drag, before exhaling slowly.

_"Tell me, Ashlyn, what do you think of my freaks,"_ she watched the lawyer's face, searching for the usual traces of disgust. She had to admit to herself, she was pleasantly surprised that she found none. _"I could not possibly answer that, I have not had the pleasure of properly meeting them,"_ Ashlyn replied honestly, if not a bit diplomatically. Elsa smirked, _"Smooth,"_ she thought to herself. _"And tell me,"_ she said, as she took another drag, "how much experience have you got, as a lawyer? I must say, I was not expecting to find a female sitting in front of me when I applied for legal aid."

This time, it was Ashlyn's eyes that dropped to the ground. She could lie, she could say she had plenty of experience. She could even stretch the truth a bit, and say she had worked alongside her colleages on cases, which technically wasnt a lie. However, it was not in her character to lie, so she chose not to. She sat up straighter, and looked Elsa straight in the eyes. _"This is my first assignment,"_ she replied, and before Elsa had a chance to reply, she quickly added, _"I will be up front with you. This is the first assignment I have been given, but I dont want you to mistake that as a reflection of my ability to represent you. I graduated at the top of my class, I work very hard and I will be the most dedicated legal aid you could possibly imagine,"_ she subconsciously bit her lip as she finished her speel, her hazel eyes pleading as she watched Elsa for a sign of her reaction.

She took yet another drag of her ciggarette and studied Ashlyn's face for what seemed like forever. She knew that look. That silent desperation to be given a chance. A petition to have someone just give her the opportunity to prove herself. She knew that look because when she was this girls age, she was the face behind that look. Elsa begrudgingly admitted, she was often still the face behind that look.

_"May I be honest, Ashlyn?"_ Elsa started, noticing the girls shoulders immediately slump, defeated. _"If you are as intelligent as you claim, why is it that this is your first assignment? Have you only just graduated?"_ Thinking she had nothing else left to lose, and as usual, not having any control over her own tongue, Ashlyn replied with, _"I graduated a year ago. Can I be honest Elsa?"_ who nodded her approval.

Ashlyn took a deep breath, and pushed on without holding back, _"It is because I have a vagina."_ Ashlyn silently beat herself over the crude response, but it illicited a raw cackle from the older woman, so she took Elsa's response as encouragement and pressed on. _" I work in a field that believes women should be at home, cooking for their husbands, raising children. They are so intimidated by women who want to compete against them that their solution is to have me make their coffees under the guise of working as an intern, with no real intention to help me in my career. I dont just want this assignment, Elsa, I need it. Please,"_ she looked at her hands, they held her skirt bunched in desperation. She relaxed her hands and smoothed out the fabric, before forcing herself to look up at Elsa, _"Please,"_ she whispered. _"Just give me a chance. You wont regret it."_

Elsa put her ciggarette out, and suddenly stood up. She grabbed Ashlyn by the hands and pulled her to her feet. _"Of course, my dear. We vaginas have to stick together, in this world full of cocks,"_ she said with a sly smile. Ashlyn blushed at the reference to her own crude phrase, but smiled appreciatively. _"Besides, anyone who comes to my show begging to work with my freaks must be desperate. It makes me trust you,"_ she said frankly, as she walked out of the tent, motioning for Ashlyn to follow her. 

She felt as though her legs would buckle beneath her. She had done it. She had convinced this woman to allow her to represent the Freak Show. It felt as though she were on the outside of her body looking down, watching herself stumble and try to pull herself together. She shook her head and scolded herself. _"Pull your head in, you fool. You want these people to believe you know what you are doing? Start acting like you do!"_ She jogged as quickly as she could in heels to catch up with Elsa, who was already speaking to a man in what seemed like a frustrated, hushed voice.

_"We signed a years lease,"_ Elsa appeared to be struggling to stay calm, speaking through gritted teeth. _"You cant just evict us because your wife doesnt like the look of us!_ " The man shrugged and before he could respond, turned and looked at Ashlyn. _"Can I help you?"_ he asked with hostility to his tone, hinting that he would appreciate it if she moved along. _"Is there a problem here?"_ she heard herself say, not totally sure if she were the one speaking. What was the saying? Fake it until you make it? Well, she certainly had a long way to go, she should probably start faking it.

_"Nothing that concerns you,"_ he said dismissively, trying to return to his conversation with Elsa, who was watching Ashlyn for her reaction to his attitude. _"As the legal representation for this business, I believe that it is very much my concern if my clients are being threatened with eviction,"_ Ashlyn recited, straightening herself to the fullest of her small stature. The mans jaw dropped and before he had a chance to reply, she went for the kill, _"further more, I would be extremely disappointed to hear I had to file a discrimination lawsuit in this town."_

The man paled and tried to backpedal, _"No, of course not! Im sure my wife just misunderstands the situation. Ill...have a talk with her,"_ with that, he quickly turned and headed back to his car, which disappeared in a cloud of dust kicked up by his tyres.

A slow clap was heard beside her, and there Elsa stood, applauding her with the widest smile across her face. " _Well_ ," she said, putting her hands on her hips, " _there is a bite behind that pretty little bark of yours after all."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there may be some of the content of this story that isnt necessarily accurate for the time but Ive done my best to make it work. Thanks for reading (:


	3. Chapter Three - When I think about you

Chapter Three

 

Anxious to get started and impressed with how Ashlyn had handled herself, Elsa had set Ashlyn up in her own tent, providing her a small rickety table and chairs to use as a little writing desk. As was her way, Ashlyn had already set everything up with her notepad and pens ready for her first interview. She had a registration form for reference purposes to make sure she asked all the right questions, and try as she might, she could not calm down. She was wired, and she didnt even drink coffee!

She took a deep breath, and readied herself. She walked outside and was greeted by a few people who had been told that she would be speaking to them. _"Who wants to go first?"_ she asked happily, and noticed that they glanced at each other nervously, silently daring each other to be the first to step forward. _"Come on, I promise I wont bite,"_ she teased, and she was rewarded with a few smiles. The man covered in tattoos was the first to step forward with a slight defiance to his face, and she gestured for him to enter the tent. Before going in she noticed that the others were still waiting outside. _"If you like, I can ask someone to come and find you when its your turn so you dont have to stand around bored waiting for me?"_ she suggested. They nodded gratefully and all went their own ways. She popped back into the tent to find the man still standing.

 _"Thanks for waiting,"_ she said sincerely to the man, pulling out a chair. _"My name is Ashlyn,"_ she extended her hand to shake his, which seemed to confuse him as he looked down at his own malformed arms. He assumed she had done it as a force of habit, but when he realised she didnt withdraw her hand, he reached out and shook it enthusiastically. _"Im Paul,"_ he replied, still a bit taken back by her treatment of him. _"Nice to meet you, Paul. Please, take a seat,"_ she motioned for him to take seat as she sat down herself.

They went through the application which included standard questions like full name, date of birth, occupation. Ashlyn then offered Paul the option to either have her complete the process for him, or she could walk him through the process himself if he would prefer. While it was just common courtesy and standard practice for Ashlyn to offer, Paul was overjoyed that someone was treating him like a capable adult rather than an idiot. He opted to complete the process himself, with her assistance, which she was more than happy to do.

Once the interview was over, Ashlyn shook Paul's hand again and told him that if he had any questions, he need only ask. Jimmy could see the front of the tent from his trailer, where he leaned, his cigarette in hand, watching Paul leave. Jimmy was cautious. He had been scorned by women pretending that they were all sunshine and daisies around his kind before, only to turn nasty and make it into some sort of joke. Still, he had to admit that Paul seemed pretty happy as he left the tent to find the next person on the list.

This continued, freaks going into the tent, and coming out a while later with a smile on their face. At least it did, until Legless Suzi came out with a trembling lip and burst into tears once she reached the eating area, pulling herself up onto a bench. _"I knew it,"_ Jimmy muttered under his breath, walking over to see what was going on. Suzi was wiping the tears from her face with her hands, being comforted by Amazon Eve when Jimmy walked up and asked what the law wench had done. _"Ill sort her out Suz, whatd she say to you that got you so upset?"_ he asked, crouching down so they were at eye level.

She looked up at him, burst out crying again and finally managed, _"she was so nice!"_ Jimmys eyes widened, of all the answers he was expecting, that was not one of them. _"She was...nice?"_ he asked again, not sure he had heard her right the first time. She nodded, her breathing finally slowing back down, and there it was, she was smiling! _"You know that look they give ya, the normal ones? That look, as though youre about to attack them at any moment, like youre the scum of the earth?"_ she asked, looking around at the others who had come over to see what had happened. Jimmy nodded, and she continued, _"she doesnt have that look Jimmy,"_ she sniffed again, _"she just talked to me like i was any other person. She even offered to help me into my chair, she wasnt afraid of me touching her!"_

They heard a coughing from behind them and Ashlyn was standing a few metres away, with a handkerchief in her hands. _"Hi, sorry to intrude, I just brought this over for Suzi and wanted to make sure she was ok,"_ she came closer and awkwardly handed Suzi the hanky, who thanked her and blew her nose, starting in another crying fit. _"Oh honey, Im sorry!"_ Ashlyn exclaimed, and sat next to her, putting her arm around her and squeezing her in a half hug. _"If it makes you feel better, next time Ill tell you to help yourself into your bloody chair?"_ she joked which made everyone laugh, including Jimmy, despite his best efforts not to.  _"Thanks Ashlyn,"_ Suzi replied, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

Ashlyn looked up at Jimmy, and as their eyes met, she felt butterflies in her stomach. Those chocolate brown eyes, that boyish smile that lights up a room... _"Shit,"_ she thought to herself. " _He is next..."_ She managed a smile and asked, " _Youre next, if I havent scared you away?_ " she teased, in an attempt to cover the fact she knew she was blushing just looking at him. No one else noticed, but he sure did. " _No way, I think I can take you,"_ he said with a laugh and a wink, which naturally made her even worse. If he carried on like this she wouldnt stand a chance at sitting on her seat without slipping off. She could feel herself getting wet already.

She scrunched up her nose and poked out her tongue a little before getting up, squeezing Suzi's shoulder once more and flashing her a sympathetic smile. She walked towards the tent and was painfully aware of the fact Jimmy was following close behind. _"Professional, Ashlyn, for gods sakes..."_ she muttered to herself. _"Sorry?"_ Jimmys voice was so silky, she bet it was deliberate. He must know the effect he has on women.

 _"Nothing,"_ she said, turning around so abruptly that Jimmy almost crashed into her. _"I was just talking to myself. Right. As youve probably heard, my name is Ashlyn,"_ she once again extended her hand as she quickly introduced herself. _"Jimmy Darling,"_ he replied, inhaling sharply, holding his breath as he extended his hand to shake hers. She didnt flinch, she didnt withdraw her hand, she actually shook it. Did she look...curious? " _Lovely to meet you,"_ she said, not aware that she was biting her lip. She didnt mean to stare, but his hands intrigued her. They were rough, but that is to be expected of any man in his line of work. Even as he shook her hand, she couldnt resist running her thumb over his knuckles as she withdraw her hand. His fingers were fused together, forming the claws that gave him his stage name. Impolite thoughts rushed into her mind about what she could do with those hands, and she had to sit down before she got herself into trouble. She motioned for him to do the same.

 _"You seem to have made quite the impression with the folk around here "_ Jimmy said, paying attention to her facial expressions as she wrote his name on a piece of paper. _"A good one I hope,"_ she said, the corners of her mouth breaking into a small smirk while still looking down at her page _. "What do you care? Were just freaks,"_ Jimmy said, a slightly bitter tone tainting his words. She looked up suddenly and met his sad glance, " _Everyone wants to make a good impression when they meet new people,"_ she said softly, not breaking eye contact. " _For the record, I dont think youre freaks. Thats just a gimic name to drum up business."_

Jimmy raised an eyebrow at her answer, but before he could say anything, she coughed to clear her throat and tapped her pen against the page. _"Right Jimmy, just a few questions if you dont mind,_ " she changed the subject, trying to use her work to remind her why she was here. " _What if I do mind,"_ Jimmy tested her, not quite ready to let go of the train of thought that easily. She looked at him with a grin and replied saying, " _Then tough luck, do your own paperwork."_ With that she started asking questions and Jimmy answered, unable to think of a come back fast enough.

After the interview was finished, she shook his hand and thanked him for his time, while trying to ignore the warmth of his skin on hers. As she was packing up her things, Jimmy said, _"You know, its brave of you, taking us on. Not many would have."_ She shrugged, swinging her satchels strap over her shoulder as they began to walk out of the tent together, _"My boss gave me the file, Im doing my job."_ His face fell, knowing he was a fool for thinking otherwise, even for a second, _"but off the record,"_ she added, turning to face him and leaned in, her mouth a breath away from his ear, _"Im glad I took it,"_ she whispered with a smile, walking off to leave him with a sheepish grin across his face and a feeling in his nicely fitting jeans that was slowly getting more obvious.

* * *

It was six in the evening before she got home. Her stomach had been growling in the cab as she realised she hadnt eaten all day. It wasnt unusual for her to miss meals when she was distracted. In fact, it was amazing she hadnt starved during college. They had sat silently in the cab, the driver and Ashlyn, one not wanting to ask questions while the other did not want to answer them.

As the car drove off, she squeezed in the narrow door that led up to her apartment, which was nothing more than a dingy room with a sink, toilet and a shower that somehow never had hot water. It belonged to the man downstairs that had too many cats and drank more than she cared to admit. It wasnt much, actually it was less than that, but she had done her best to try and make it feel like home. She had fashioned a little kitchen out of an old table and a hot plate, with pretty placemats she had crocheted herself. While she rebeled against the idea of being a house wife, it didnt mean she was totally void of domestic talents.

She placed her stachel on the table, next to the growing pile of bills, some of which had been stamped "last notice" and "final warning" in bright red letters. This was her last chance. Her last shot of making it on her own. She had sacrificed so much to get here, her friends, her family, her dignity...She wouldnt give up on it all now. She pushed the thought to the back of her mind, along with her complaining belly.

Moving towards the bed she had in the corner of the room, she slipped out of her cardigan, one sleeve at a time. She closed her eyes, and suddenly thought about Jimmy pressed up behind her, sliding his hands over her shoulders and down her arms. She opened her eyes and saw the tattoos that covered her flesh, from her wrists to her shoulders, and reminded herself that good girls got men like Jimmy. She was no longer a good girl, no matter how she dressed, or how she wore her hair.

She thought about the way his clothes clung to his body, the sweat that glistened off his skin, the way his biceps flexed as he moved. A small groan escaped her lips as she unzipped her dress slowly, picturing him doing it for her, placing kisses across her neck down to her shoulders, as he helped the dress slip from her body to the floor. As the fabric pooled on the ground around her feet, she ran her fingers gently over her thighs, the bold ink of impulsive decisions forever marked on her skin. She slid her feet out of her heels and as she sat on the edge of her bed, pulling the pins from her hair, she pictured him sliding his hands across her stomach, his hard worked palms exploring every part of her flesh.

She unclipped her bra and dropped it on the floor next to her, laying back onto into her pillows and slowly running her own hands across her breasts, cupping them softly and running her thumbs over her hardening nipples. Her eyes were shut tight as she pictured him between her legs, kissing his way up and across her hips. She imagined how it would feel to have his deformed hands kneading her flesh between his fingers, his mouth placing sensual kisses along the length of her body, his hair tickling the tender flesh of her inner thighs.

Her own hand found its way under the delicate band of her panties and between her legs, greeted by her own dripping pussy that was aching to be touched. As she slid her fingers over her clit and between her folds, she didnt care that she wasnt a good girl. She was bad, and she wanted him. Finally, after a clumsy attempt to satisfy herself, she accepted that there was really one person who could do that for her. She slipped under the sheets and rolled over, falling asleep to the thought of being in his arms.


	4. Chapter Four - When it all came crashing down

Chapter Four

 

When her alarm had gone off in the morning, she jumped as she was pulled to reality after a night of very raunchy dreams about a certain client. Her hair a mess from the twisting and turning she had done in her sleep, she wiped the sleep from her eyes and picked up the towel she had hung over the back of the single chair that sat lonely at the table. For once, Ashlyn was actually thankful that her shower was cold. She continued with her usual morning routine by doing her make up in the small pocket mirror from her purse that sat balanced on the sink as she crouched awkwardly in the little bathroom, and by wearing her hair up, but with a pretty purple flower clip pinned in today as she was in a particularly good mood.

Ashlyn had her clothes hung up all over the wall in plastic coverings, dangling from hangers on randomly distributed hooks that previous tenants had put up. Standing wrapped in a towel in the middle of her tiny room, she scrunched her nose trying to find the perfect dress to match her mood today. She settled on her favourite lavender calf length dress (with stockings, of course, just in case). It wasnt until she was about to leave for work that she realised she had been humming all morning. Life was finally going the right way for her. "About bloody time," she muttered under her breath.

As she skipped down the stairs two at a time, she decided to walk to work rather than bike. It was extremely cliche, but everything just seemed brighter today. The sky was clearer, the flowers were prettier, everyone seemed happier. There was a man she wanted to strip naked and do very unladylike things to... Yes, it was a good day.

She passed mothers holding the hands of their children as they walked to school, their laughs bringing a grin to her own face. Ashlyn saw a wife kiss her husband and wave happily as he got into his car to go to work. She saw the white picket fences that housed yards of pretty flowers and adorable little dogs, and she allowed herself a daydream of kissing Jimmy at the door of a beautiful home, while their son played with the dog inside, and getting into a car to drive to work, where she owned her own law firm.

After she made it into the office, she placed her satchel on her desk, flicked the radio on at the wall and decided to get coffee ready for everyone before she was asked. She had barely made it past Mr Jacksons office, before the familiar bark echoed through the office. _"What the fuck are you doing here?!"_ he yelled, standing up abruptly and slamming his fist on his desk causing even his coffee cup to jump. He walked around his desk and grabbed her by her forearm and threw her into his office, slamming the door behind her.

Her heart jumped to her throat, and then proceeded to beat at 1000 miles an hour. He was furious about yesterday. Sure, she knew she should have told him where she had gone but the other lawyers came and went as they pleased, and she was employed as a legal intern so she had thought...

_"What do you have to say for yourself,"_ he demanded, sitting back in his desk and glaring at her accusingly. She pulled herself up straighter, and took a deep breath. It wasnt as if she had been skiving off, she had been working really hard all day. She steadied herself, ready to defend her actions, but he was right, she should have told him. " _Im really very sorry Mr Jackson, I should have told you when I left, but I was so excited that I wanted to get started straight aw..."_

_"Get started on what! Where the hell were you McKeown, the phones were ringing, no one was here to take appointments, I had to make my own bloody coffee!"_ he yelled, waving his hand at the still full coffee cup to make his point. " _Well, Mr Jackson, you do know that its actually Sherrys job to take the appointments, Ive just been helping her out...When you gave me the file, I wanted to get started right away."_ While Sherry was supposed to be the receptionist, everyone knew she didnt do any real work. Not any that wasnt on her knees anyway.

" _Your job is to do anything I tell you to do,"_ he spat, before the realization of what she had said dawned on him. " _The file...You stupid bitch. Please tell me you didnt think I was serious when I told you to take that assignment?!"_ the look of dissapointment on her face told him all he needed to know. _"You did! Why the hell would I trust you with any assignment, all you are to this office is a coffee machine with tits."_ he sneered, _"Even if I was stupid enough to give you a case, this firm would have nothing to do with that band of freaks! You think we want them to stay here, to bring down our town?"_

He got up and swung open the door with such force, the glass window that separated his office from the rest of the floor shook, before throwing at her, _"Now do what you are good for, and go and make us our damn coffee."_

She was destroyed. She couldnt even tell what part of his speech had hurt her more. Numb, Ashlyn silently walked out of his office with her head hung, her eyes threatening to betray her with tears she tried so hard to hold back. She had to get to her desk, to collect her thoughts and calm down. Before she could do so, she heard a familar voice as she looked up and saw Pierce and another man from the office standing over her desk, with her files open and spread over the desk. Pierce was in the middle of a crab impression, his laugh booming. That was it. The last straw. She had twenty five years of pent up anger at society and their expectations, which came crashing down all at once.

_"Hey, make a coffee will ya doll, I cant make it with these,"_ his hands mimicked Jimmys momentarily before her palm came flying out of no where and struck his cheek. She was sure her hand should sting, but her heart was pumping so hard she didnt feel a thing. After all the time this man had spent making sexist comments, grabbing at her ass when her back was turned and rubbing up against her as she made the coffee, he was lucky her hand had been open instead of the closed fist she sincerely wished it had been. " _How. fucking. dare. you,"_ she breathed, snatching her paperwork from his hand and stuffing them all back into her bag.

_"You psychotic cow!"_ Pierce screamed, is hand cupping his now flaming red cheek. He went to open his mouth again but before he had the chance to say anything, she shoved him backwards so hard that he fell into the chair usually reserved for clients waiting to be seen. " _How dare you!"_ she repeated herself, noticing that the other man hand conveniently slinked away out of sight. " _How dare you make fun of these people, these people that have done absolutely nothing to deserve this treatment!"_

Pierce threw himself out of his chair, his hand balled into a fist ready to strike her when Mr Jacksons voice yelled " _Stop_!" Pierce reluctantly lowered his fist, giving Ashlyn the filthiest look before stepping aside as Mr Jackson stepped forward. She didnt even have anything to say and she knew what he was going to say before the words were said aloud. " _Miss McKeown, collect your things and vacate the premises. Youre fired."_ he said, no emotion on his wrinkled face. Pierce smiled and the slimy bastard blew her a kiss as she turned and picked up her satchel, the only thing she really had here and clutching it to her chest, walked out of the office, her eyes welling.

She couldnt even remember walking home. She couldnt remember unlocking her front door, and she couldnt remember putting her bag on the table. It was the knock at the door that snapped her out of her daze. She walked slowly to the door, unlocking the bolt and pulling it open as far as the creaking door could manage. It was her landlord, Mr Towers. " _Yes_?" she asked quietly, hoping her make up wasnt as streaked as she assumed it would be. He could see she had been crying, but that didnt change anything. She owed him rent and he wouldnt be doing her any favours. Besides, he had just run out of booze, he needed the money.

_"Im here to collect the rent,"_ he said gruffly, sure that his sight was betraying him because he swore she didnt have a twin beside her. " _Mr Towers, Ive just been let go from the law firm, if you could just give me..."_ she started with a forced smile, trying to repress her sniffles.

_"Im sorry Ashlyn, but Im afraid I have to ask you to move out,"_ he said, wearing what she swore was the same expression Mr Jackson had been wearing when he fired her. Her lip quivered but she refused to cry in front of him. Until he said she had to be gone today, as he would have a new tenant moving in tomorrow. She couldnt speak as the tears fell down her cheeks, but she managed a nod before she shut the door, her body shaking.

She had lost everything. In one day. How did she go from feeling on top of the world to hitting rock bottom in less than 24 hours? She slid against the door to the floor, her head leaned on the wall and she broke. She knew how and worse still, it was her own fault for not keeping her emotions in check. Maybe they were right all along, maybe a woman didnt belong in a mans world after all. The walls came down and she sobbed. She cried for the career that would never see fruition. She cried for the home she would never build. She cried for the family she would never have.

The skirt of her dress had slipped up her thighs as she sat in the fetal position in the corner of her walkway. Even though her stockings covered the tattoos that covered her thighs, the flowers that crawled their way from her hip, down to the anchor that marked her calf, she knew they were there and that made her cry harder. She had done anything, everything, she could to get here and now not only was she without the security of a job or a home, she no longer even had the benefit of having the beauty of an untouched body.

She must have cried herself to sleep. As her eyes blinked away the blurriness, she used her palms to wipe her face while her eyes adjusted. She looked at her watch and realised it was lunchtime already. She had to pack. There was only one place left she could go, her last hope. She pulled her keys out from her purse and opened the rusted garage door that was next to the entrance to her apartment. With a bit of grunting and a lot of effort, she wrenched the door open to reveal a metal trailer. This was the place she had spent her college years, the home she thought, hoped, that she had left behind. This was only thing she had left. " _Hello old friend, we meet again_ ," she said with a defeated sigh, before heading upstairs to once again, pack her sorry excuse for a life back up into the metal box.

 


	5. Back to Square One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for everyones patience! Life is hectic but I still very much intend to finish this story. Bear with me (:

The cab ride this time wasnt near as enjoyable as it was the last time she made it. She felt her cheeks were sticky from the tears, her eyes raw. Everything she owned was in the trailer that was hooked up to the back of the car, and it was devestating to be back at the start again. Ashlyn had bought the small home with her own, hard earned money, three months after she left her parents place, and she kept it because it was a trophy, a reminder of how far she had come.

It had been raining, the first time she had seen it. Clinging to an umbrella which threatened to blow inside out, the sound of her teeth chattering was drowned out by the thundering water beating the pavement. _"How...how...how much did you say it was?"_ she asked the sleeze of a saleman, who hadn't taken his eyes off her behind since she had got there.

" _Baby_ ," the word sounded so cheap coming from his mouth, _"if youre short on cash, Im sure we could...work out a deal..."_ he said, licking his bottom lip in a way that made her skin crawl. As his hand touched her shoulder, she shuddered and jumped away from him. _"I have the money,"_ she said quickly, glaring at him. She had done enough to hate herself already, she wasnt going to add this slimeball to her list of regrets.

She pulled an extra twenty from her purse, ignoring the ache of an empty stomach as she shoved the money into his hands. " _Pleasure doing business with you,_ " he drawled, obviously disappointed that she hadnt taken him up on his offer. He handed her the keys and left her, standing in the cold, just her and her road side trailer. Ashlyn unlocked the door and hurried in out of the storm, shaking her umbrella before closing it. It was cramped, smelt of beer and urine, and had dubious stains on the floor and walls, but it was hers. All hers.

She snapped back to reality when the cab went over a pothole in the road, and her purse fell from her lap to the car floor. She reached down to pick it up, and saw the aged envelope peeking out, which caused a new round of tears to well. This was it, she had reached rock bottom. Her mother had been right after all. She couldnt do this on her own. She softly held her hand to her mouth to try and muffle her crying, while looking out the window as they drew closer. The older driver glanced in the rear view mirror in time to see her carefully wiping the running eye liner from beneath her eyes. He was polite enough not to say anything.

Meep was the first one at the field to spot the trailer coming down the track. He exploded in a fit of excited chirps and meeps, before Ma Petite saw what he was carrying on about. " _Miss Elsa, Miss Elsa,"_ the small girl squeaked, as she pulled on the womans dress. _"Yes, yes, what is it?"_ she followed the direction of Ma Petites finger, to where a cab was parking with the trailer.

When Ashlyn stepped out, her legs could barely carry her. She squeezed the last of the tears from her eyes, before shaking her head and climbing out of the car. The driver unhooked the trailer, and when Ashlyn reached out, her hand was clenched around the bills she had retrieved from the envelope. The man shook his head and gently pushed her hands back, but again, her hands pushed them at him. " _Please, just...take it,"_ she managed. With a slight nod, he took the notes from her hand and on his way back to the drivers side, he paused to squeeze her shoulder in an attempt to reassure her that she would be fine.

She was experiencing a bout of deja vu as the car drove off again, leaving her standing in the gravel and dirt. The footsteps crunching behind her grew closer, and then Elsas voice questioning her forced her to turn around. " _Ashlyn, what is happening? What is this?"_ Elsa motioned to the trailer with a nod of her head, a look of concern spread across her face. Behind her stood an equally concerned Paul and even the bearded Ethel at Elsas side. It wasnt until she saw Jimmy coming out of his trailer and notice her that her lip began to quiver.

_"I have no where else to go,"_ she choked, looking up at Elsa with a vulnerability in her red eyes she hadnt shown in a long time. She could barely see, her eyes were stinging, but a soft hand picked the hair clinging to her tear stained face and tucked it behind her ear.

" _Boys, would you take Miss McKeowns trailer and park it for her,"_ she heard someone say, but she couldnt be sure who had given the instruction. Next thing she knew, she was being led by the hand forward and she followed obediently. She couldnt see him, but Jimmy had been the first one to reach the trailer and began to coordinate its move immediately, not being able to keep his eyes off her and fighting an internal battle between knowing he should move the trailer and wanting to run to her and find out what was wrong.

She was made to sit in a chair and a mug of amber liquid was placed in her hands. She was suddenly so tired and she found it hard to keep her eyes open. " _Tell me whats happened,"_ she was asked, as a comforting body sat next to her on one side, placing an arm around her. She glanced up and saw it was Ethel, as Elsa stood in front of her, her face silently demanding an answer. _"It was all a joke,"_ she said softly, " _they didnt mean to give me a case anymore than they meant to help you."_ She recounted the horrible things Mr Jackson had said, and when she was about to repeat the Pierce had said, how he had mocked Jimmy... " _Lets just say a sorry excuse for a colleague had some rather nasty thing about the people here, and I snapped,"_ she admitted, not seeing the look that was exchanged between Ethel and Elsa.

_"I will do anything. Ill finish your case, complete your registrations like I promised. Ill cook, ill clean. Please, Ill do anything it takes,"_ she slid onto the ground at Elsas feet, her hands clasped together, pleading for the second day in a row. " _Ashlyn, while I want to say yes, this isnt just my home. There are others you need to ask also_ ," Elsa said sympathetically.

Ashlyn nodded, of course she understood. They had been cautious around her when she was interviewing them, how would they feel about her living amongst them. Suddenly, the tent canvas door was opened and there appeared Jimmy. " _Elsa? Everyones awful worried, they wanna know whats going on,"_ he looked down at Ashlyn on her knees and gave her a weak smile, not knowing what else to say.

" _Are you ready?_ " she was asked, before Ethel helped her to her feet " _As ready as Ill ever be,"_ she admitted, taking a deep breath and following Jimmy outside of the tent.

It was amazing how quickly everyone had gathered once they heard the news of the lawyer girl showing up in tears with a trailer. She had made quite the impression, and while they had all expected consequences, she had surprised them yet again.

" _Hi everyone,_ " she started, her eyes looking at her feet till she noticed the dirt on her skirt. _"We all know that not everyone accepts a person for who they are,"_ she was stalling, and unable to put into words what she needed to ask. " _What happened Ashlyn?_ " Suzi asked, reaching out and handing her a hanky. This action almost tipped her right back over the blubbering edge.

_"It appears that my boss, Mr Jackson, was not as willing to work with you good folk as I was,"_ she took a deep breath and chose her words carefully, the last thing she needed was to enrage the residents here by detailing what had been said. " _When confronted about this decision, both himself and another lawyer of the firm made some disgusting comments about..."_ she betrayed herself by allowing her eyes to flick to Jimmy, a glance that this time, his mother Ethel also caught. " _well about the people employed by Miss Elsa. I may have lost my temper and told him what I thought of his comments."_

She looked around the group, the varying shapes and sizes, the variety of deformities, and all of a sudden she realised that the injustice these people suffered meant more to her than being stuck behind a desk working 8- 4 every day for a boss that frankly, didnt deserve her. She had dealt with assholes before and never reacted. This time she had a cause, something to stand for. The thought empowered her and offered the first sense of clarity she had experienced that day.

She finally concluded, this time with a sense of defiance in her tone, " _Long story short, I have lost my career, and I have lost my home. I know Im nothing more than a stranger, but I am here to ask you good people if you can find it in your hearts to allow me to stay here, at least until I finish your registrations as I promised, and then Ill be out of your hair."_

She didnt even realise how this translated for the people in front of her. She didnt realise that she had just said was that she was sorry for intruding on their space. That she considered her employer to be the monster while they were the normal ones in her eyes. She had asked for them to forgive her for intruding, and after losing her home and her job while defending them, she was asking if she could stay with them while she finished helping them.

_"I suppose we could put up with you for a while,_ " Jimmys voice was the first to ring out, which set off a chorus of the others agreeing and Eve pushing forward to give her a hug. Amongst the squeezing together, Ashlyn managed to mouth the words "Thank you" to Jimmy, who would have to one day face the fact that he was happy she was going to be sticking around.


	6. Chapter 6 - Seeds are planted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that she is a resident, how will Ashlyn respond to becoming one of the Freaks?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in my absence I have managed to have two children, buy a house and move to another state. Yet didn't write a chapter. Slack I know. Thank you so much for your patience and to anyone out there still reading, thank you the most.

Ashlyn had retired to her trailer to freshen up, but found herself unable to leave the safety of its metal shell. Instead, she lay on her bed looking up at the poster taped on the ceiling of her trailer.

 _“Stay on top,”_ it said. _“The courageous person overcomes adversities.”_ That poster had become her mantra throughout college, cheering her on through each sexist remark or snide comment.

Her eyes were raw and her pillow was smeared with lipstick and tears. Pulling herself up with an exaggerated groan, she looked in the mirror attached to her closet door. She looked nothing less than awful.

 _“But I’m still here,”_ she reminded herself. She still had a roof over her head, clothes on her back and...

Her stomach grumbled, reminding her of the void she had yet to fill since breakfast. As if someone had heard it, there was a knock on her door that echoed through the tin can home.

 **“Ah, just a second,”** she called out, frantically trying to wipe her face to be slightly more presentable. She gave a defeated sigh, there was no use.

Ashlyn opened the door a crack to see those beautiful chocolate eyes staring up at her. He cleared his throat and was polite enough not to acknowledge the mess.

 _ **“Just thought I’d let you know, it’s dinner time. If you’d like to join us, that is.”**_ Jimmy would have to be blind to not see the state she was in. It was more than understandable, going from the gossip that had already spread through the campground like wild fire.

 _ **“I…I don’t have anything to contribute,”**_ she said meekly, opening the door a little more and stepping out from the shadow of her doorway.

 _ **“That’s fine,”**_ Jimmy replied with that boyishly handsome grin of his. _**“I’m sure Miss Elsa will find a way to make you earn your keep sooner or later.”**_

 _ **“I’ll…”**_ She tried to protest further, but her stomach betrayed her by growling again. Jimmy raised an eyebrow and grinned, as if waiting for another excuse.

 _ **“I’ll be right over,”**_ she said finally.

 _ **“I’ll wait,”** _ he said, leaning against her trailer and folding his arms.

She bit her lip and nodded, closing the door. Grabbing a washcloth and wetting it in the small kitchen sink, she gingerly wiped the corners of her eyes as quickly as she could. Her sleeves were soaked from her snotty nose and the fountain of tears she had subjected them to. After looking around to make sure no one could see in through the faded gingham curtains, she shrugged off her cardigan and pulled on a new one.

She took a deep breath and retied her ribbon. Bold black lines creeping from her shoulder to her collar bone peeked out from behind the fabric, so she fastened the front of her cardigan to keep them out of sight.

She opened her trailer and true to his word, Jimmy was still standing there. He stuck out the crook of his arm for her with a slight gentlemanly bow and was rewarded with a smile. Ashlyn slipped her arm around his and could feel the warmth of his skin through their clothes. She swallowed and looked ahead, but he had already seen the blush in her cheeks.

They headed over to the main tent, Jimmy giving the grand tour of the grounds along the way. She luckily already knew the names of most of the performers, so she took a mental note of which trailer belonged to whom.

When the pair arrived at the tent, they immediately became the centre of attention. Before anyone had the chance to say anything to the new arrival, Meep came running up to her with a pigeon in his hand. Moved by his offering, Ashlyn reached out her hands softly to take the bird. Suddenly, the strange boy shoved the birds head in his mouth, both biting down and jerking the body out in a quick movement.

Meep then extended the body of the now decapitated carcass back to girl.

Jimmy cringed as Meep smiled, blood dripping down his chin as he chewed, insisting that she take his present. _**“Damn it Meep…”**_ Suzi muttered, the other residents of the freak show looking at the lawyer awaiting the screams.

They had never dreamed that she would react the way she did.

 _ **“Oh sweety, thank you but I…don’t want to spoil my appetite.”** _ She said as she forced a little smile, trying desperately to hold the urge to retch. Meep looked hurt, his hands slowly lowering the bird. Ashlyn reached out and took the bird in her hands, Jimmy’s eyes widened in shock.

 _ **“How about I save it for later?”**_ she said, holding the warm but bloody bird in her hands.

Meep chirped happily and skipped off, obviously happy with this answer. She looked down at the bird, unsure about what to do with it. She then saw Jimmy’s claw like hand’s next to hers.

 _ **“I’ll get rid of it,”** _ she felt him whisper in her ear, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She softly placed what was left of the unsuspecting creature in his hands, her heart pounding as her skin brushed against his. She looked up and scrunched up her nose a little. _**“Thanks,”** _ she said with a little smile.

* * *

After everyone took their fill of the pig on the spit they had cooked so perfectly over the fire, Amazon Eve picked up a guitar and began to pluck at the strings. Ashlyn looked around from her seat on a log near the warmth of the fire. Ma Petit was asleep in Elsa’s lap, Suzi and Toulouse were playing cards, Ethel and Jimmy were laughing. She hadn’t realised how relaxing it was being here, with these people.

 _ **“Care to dance, love?”**_ a voice brought her out of her thoughts, and she smiled as she saw Paul offering his hand. _**“I would be honoured,”**_ she said, taking his hand. “As long as you keep your hands above my waist, young man,” she said with a grin, eliciting a hoot of laughter from the group.

 _ **“No promises,”**_ he replied with a wink.

Watching the pair dance, Ethel noticed that Jimmy blatantly couldn’t seem to take his eyes off the girl. _**“You seem to have taken a liking our latest stray,”**_ she commented, watching his face for a reaction.

 _ **“Just being polite, that’s all,”**_ he said, picking at the food on the bone in his hand and deliberately not looking at his mother.

 _ **“Seems a bit more than being polite,”**_ she added, trying to drag it out of him.

Jimmy looked back up and saw Ashlyn dancing. The way her skirt swung around her legs as she twisted. The way she threw her head back as she laughed and the way she scrunched her nose up when she smiled. He couldn’t help but smile, she made it contagious.

Then he remembered the last time that he fell for a woman outside of the show, and his smile dulled. _**“Well, it’s not like she’s going to stick around is it. She’s not one of us,”**_ he abruptly stood, muttered something about needing to get something from his trailer and walked away.

Ashlyn noticed Jimmy leave and she couldn’t hide the disappointment in her eyes. She had hoped that she would manage to get a dance out of him next. She hadn’t stopped thinking about being close to him again. She thanked Paul for the dance and took her spot next to the fire.

Ethel saw the lawyer watching that son of hers walk away and shook her head. _**“Idiots, can’t see something when it’s right in front of them,”**_ she thought to herself.

Deciding to call it a night, Ashlyn excused herself and headed back to her trailer. Before she had a chance to open her door, she heard the strike of a match and turned to see Jimmy lighting a cigarette. He nodded in her direction but remained silent.

 _ **“I wondered where you had disappeared off to,”**_ she said with a smile, leaning back against the door. Jimmy couldn’t help but smirk at the thought of her noticing. _**“Yeah?”**_ he replied, slowly walking closer to her.

 _ **“Yeah,”**_ she said. _**“I didn’t get the chance to say it this morning when I arrived but…”** _ she tried not to lose her train of thought as he finally stood there in front of her, just the two of them. _**“Thanks for vouching for me when I asked to stay.”**_

 _ **“Well, it’s my pleasure.”**_ He said softly, leaning against her trailer in front of her. _**“It might be nice to have you around.”**_

This time it was her who smiled, _**“I think so too.”**_

Before she had the chance to change her mind, she quickly leaned forward, placed her hand on his chest, and softly kissed his cheek. _**“Good night Jimmy,”** _ she whispered in his ear.

He could feel the pressure of her hand against him only slightly less than the feeling of her lips on his skin. The feeling lingered and he hoped she wouldn’t be able to feel his heart pounding through his chest. She leaned back and slowly removed her hand. He saw her bite her lip slightly before quickly before opening her trailer and disappearing inside before he could respond. Little did he know, her heart was pounding too.

**Author's Note:**

> First fan fic, play nice please ;)
> 
> Constructive criticism welcome, heads up that my tenses are usually what I end up screwing up on.
> 
> NSFW, lets have fun!


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